Apple’s Head of iTunes Europe: “iTunes Festival is for the Fans”

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Apple’s Head of iTunes Europe: “iTunes Festival is for the Fans”

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About two hours before Apple’s 8th annual iTunes Festival began, Jim Dalrymple had a chance to interview Oliver Schusser.

During the interview Schusser, Apple’s head of iTunes Europe, said that iTunes Festival was designed for the fans (those attending in person and those at home).

“iTunes Festival is all about the fans in the audience, and the fans at home.”

Placido Domingo, deadmau5, Maroon 5, Pharrell Williams, and Tony Bennett are some of the stars who headlined the festival this year. Schusser said that Apple designed the iTunes Festival for all ages and the artists are challenged to connect with a diverse audience.

“We want to have something for every audience type and age group. When you go to iTunes you see a very diverse set of artists, and we want the festival to be the same. The whole month is curated — we want to have a variety for the month, and also every week.”

After the acquisition of Beats Electronics, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that music has always been at the core of the company and its culture. Schusser said:

“We never really defined ourselves as simply a digital retailer where people buy files from us on the Internet. We wanted to have some heart and soul, and be a living brand. We have always been very close to the creative community, so this [iTunes Festival] was a logically next step for us.”

Apple created iTunes Festival in order to define themselves as a brand, as opposed to a retailer of hardware and software products. The company is very excited about the growth rate of the festival over the past eight years.

“Everything behind the scenes has grown massively over the last eight years, but I think the show itself has actually remained the same. It’s about the artists, the fans, and trying to create an unforgettable experience.

We’re all very proud of iTunes Festival. The feedback from the fans and the artists is the part that makes us proudest.”

Apple’s iTunes Festival is a month-long event which normally runs during the month of September. The event takes place at the Roundhouse theatre in London, England which fits over 4000 fans (both siting and standing). The 2014 festival has come to a close, however, fans can still experience the festival for free on iTunes or with Apple TV.

What did you think of this year’s iTunes Festival? Let us know in the comments below.